Caster.



Patented Mayl3, I902. N. DAVIS;

CASTER (Application filed Aug. 17, 1901) (No Model.)

WITNESSES:

A INVENTOR Mfi z z z I By his Attorney MM with Frames AirnNT OFFIce.

NOAH DAVIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD OASTER AND .VHEEL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF VEST VIRGINIA.

CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 699,792, dated May 13, 1902.

Application filed August 17, 1901- Serial No. 72,338. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, NOAH DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, and

5 State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Casters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in casters, and particularly to an improvement in that class of caster known in the trade as the Philadelphia caster, which consists of a horn made of cast metal containing a long bearing, into which the stem is inserted.

The present invention consists in so constructing the horn that it will serve as a bearing for holding the extremity of the shankin position and at the same time supportinga ball-cup and in providing the stem or spindle with a collar attached thereto, which serves as a track-plate, the effect of which construction is to simplify the parts of the ball-bearing and to strengthen the caster.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings, forming a part of this specification, in

which- Figure 1 is a vertical elevation'of the caster complete, inserted in the leg of a piece of furniture; Fig. 2 is a top view of the caster.

0 Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the lines 3 3 of Fig. 2, the stem being shown in elevation. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the lines 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the caster. Fig. 6 is a side view in elevation of an alternative form with abushing inserted in connection with the ball-bearing. Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the lines 7 7 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is a View of the bushing. Fig. 9 is a view of the blank from which the horn is made.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, 4 represents the stem of the caster, made of steel; 1, the caster-wheel;

2, the pin on which the wheel or roller rotates;

3, the horn or frame.

The parts 1 and 2 are of the ordinary construction; but the part 3 consists of a flat piece of steel pressed into the form shown in Fig. 4, consisting of two parallel horns 3 3,

substantially at right angles to the upright segments of the horns 5 5 and provided with a cylindrical bearing 6 of any "convenient length or diameter at the rear. This bearing 6 is so formed as to conveniently receive '55 the lower end '7 of the stem 4, asshown in Figs. 1, 3, 5, &c.

Resting upon the top of the bearing 6 is a beveled ball-cup or ball-race S, which contains a convenient number of steel balls 9 of such size that they will conveniently rotate around the extremity 70f the stem 4 in the cup 8. The stem 4 carries at a convenient point a collar 10, which is formed, preferably, in one piece with the stem or shank and which is beveled on its lower face, as shown, so as to enable it to conform to the curvature of the balls. It will be observed that when the stem 4 of the caster is driven into the leg 11 of a piece of furniture the cup and the collar 10 will press upon the balls 9 in the cup 8 and cause the cup to be held firmly against the upper part of the bearing and the horn of the caster, together with the wheel, to rotate upon the balls 9 9, &c., thus makinga perfect ballhearing. The cup or Washer 8. rests at the points 12 12 upon the top of the horns 3 3, which are beveled, as shown in Fig. 4, to conform to the shape of the cup 8, and in this way when suflicient pressure is exerted upon the caster the holding of the cup in the hearing is facilitated and the stem is kept in substantially a perpendicular position with respect to its bearing in the horn, thus making a substantially perfect long bearing and which adds greatly to the strength and stability of the caster, as well as to its freedom of action.

Fig. 9 shows the blank from which the horn is pressed, provided with the curved points 0 12 12, which after the horn is struck up form the bearing-points for the ball-raceway. 18 18 are the openings which form the bearings for the pin 2.

In cases where the caster is to be inserted 9 5 into a particularly heavy piece of furniture a supplemental bushing may be employed of the character shown in Figs. 6, 7, and S. This consists of a cylindrical piece of steel 13, swaged or drawn at the top 14, so as to be somewhat larger and to form a ball-track similar to the cup 8. This bushing is inserted in the bearing 6 upon the horn in the manner shown in Fig. 7, and the end 15 of the lower part 7 of the stem 4 is riveted over, together with the bushing, in the manner shown in Fig. 7, so that the bushing becomes practically a part of the horn 6, thus strengthening the lattervand affording a stronger and more durable bearing without in any way changing the principle or operation of the caster or its general form.

In order'to effect an absolute locking of the stem with the wood of the furniture, the spearhead projections 16 16 are provided at the head of the stem in one piece therewith. These are of the precise form shown in the drawiugs,and the stem is also beveled slightly at its upper end at the point 17, so-as to provide for easily driving the same into the opening in the leg of the piece of furniture.

It will be observed that when the caster is inserted in the position shown in Fig. 1 the collar 10 of the stem t assumes the position there shown directly under the leg of the piece of furniture and is of sufficient dimensions to avoid any danger of splitting the wood or wearing into the leg of the furniture. It will be observed that by making the projection 16 in the form shown, of a spear, when the caster has once been inserted into the leg of the piece of furniture the projections act in the same way as the projections do in a fish-hook, and it is impossible to withdraw the caster, and at the same time the stem is prevented from revolving, and thus becoming loose.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a caster, the combination of a vertical shank or stem, provided with a suitable collar formed in one piece therewith, and forming atrack-plate; a horn carrying a roller at one extremity and forming at its other extremity an elongated bearing for holding the extremity of the shank in a vertical position, capable of supporting a ball-cup; a ball-cup independent of and supported by the horn; and a series of steel balls in the cup forming a bearing with the collar upon the shank, upon which the caster rotates.

2. In a caster, the combination of a vertical shank or stem provided with a suitable collar formed in one piece therewith and forming a track-plate a horn carrying a roller at one extremity and forming at its other extremity a bearing for holding the extremity of the shank in a vertical position; a bushing arranged to fit into the bearing, swaged at the top to form a cup, and a series of steel balls in the'cup forming a bearing with the collar upon the shank upon which the caster rotates.

3. In a caster, the combination of a vertical shank or stem provided with a suitable collar formed in one piece therewith and forming a track-plate; a horn pressed or struck up from a single piece of steel so as to form in the center an elongated bearing for holding the shank in a vertical position, provided with shoulders forming a bearing for a ballcup and bent so as to form parallel horns arranged to hold a roller; a roller carried in the horns and a cup supported in the bearing and a series of steel balls in the cup forming a bearing with the collar upon the shank upon which the caster rotates.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses,this 16th day of August, 1901.

NOAII DAVIS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE WALTERs, W. S. DUERPER. 

